


Thanksgiving Dinner

by SloaneDestler



Series: T-Shirt AU [1]
Category: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera & Related Fandoms, Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera - Gaston Leroux, Phantom - Susan Kay, Phantom of the Opera - Lloyd Webber
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cute, Erik being Erik, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Funny, Humor, I hope, Kissing, Love, Mild Language, Misunderstandings, One Shot, Sweet, Thanksgiving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 08:14:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27720067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SloaneDestler/pseuds/SloaneDestler
Summary: Erik and Christine have an announcement to make at Thanksgiving dinner with all of their closest friends, but Erik finds a way to make it slightly awkward...
Relationships: Christine Daaé/Erik | Phantom of the Opera
Series: T-Shirt AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2130111
Comments: 28
Kudos: 40





	Thanksgiving Dinner

**Author's Note:**

> I had no plans to write a Thanksgiving story this year, but somehow an offhand comment that I intended as a joke about a certain picture that has been making its way around the internet turned into this fic.

“Are you almost ready, love? We’re supposed to be at Toni’s at four o’clock.”

Christine gave a start when Erik spoke from right behind her. “Yes, I’m ready.”

“Oh! Erik, we’ve talked about you sneaking up on me, even if you don’t mean to, remember?” she asked half-heartedly, knowing that getting her husband to change this habit of his wasn’t very likely. Turning, Christine saw that he was wearing his soft black mask, one that made it comparatively easy for him to eat and drink. It broke her heart that he felt he had to wear a mask to a holiday dinner with their closest friends, but she knew it made Erik more comfortable, and she was willing to respect that.

After a moment, though, she noticed he was holding some sort of plastic bag. Sensing that he felt awkward about something, Christine asked, “What’s that?”, knowing they didn’t have long before they needed to leave to make it to dinner on time.

Hesitantly, he replied, “Well, it’s...something I got us. I know you plan to tell Meg and Antoinette about the baby today, so...this is for that.”

Puzzled but not entirely surprised by Erik’s cryptic words, Christine took the bag from him, her heart warming. Erik had had such a hard time when they first discovered that she was pregnant, so it thrilled her now that he was apparently happy enough about the baby to want to make telling the two most important people in her life, apart from Erik himself, special for her.

When she saw what was in the bag, however, she froze. Never had Christine been more grateful for her years of experience and instruction in acting, because she needed every bit of those skills to hide her reaction. What on earth? Gazing at two of the most repulsive t-shirts she had ever seen, she was completely at a loss. Erik actually wanted them to wear these to tell her best friend and the woman who was like a mother to her that they were expecting? She loved Erik more than anything, but the way his mind worked sometimes was impossible for her to understand.

There was one thing she knew for sure, though. She couldn’t reject this gesture from Erik, no matter how much she might want to. For him to overcome his fears and misgivings about his ability to be a good parent enough to try to do something he thought was sweet for her, was a very positive sign, and she couldn’t risk hurting his feelings over this. Drawing deep on her training, Christine smiled at him. “What an original idea, love. Let’s change so we can get on the road.”

Any hope Erik had clung to that Christine would reject his idea died at her words. While the idea of wearing any t-shirt as anything other than sleepwear was anathema to him, the thought of wearing one with a crass sort of pun on it to a holiday dinner ranked right up there with his worst nightmares, and that was saying something, considering the life he had led before meeting Christine.

But this was about his Christine, not about him, Erik reminded himself. If wearing these ridiculous shirts made her happy, it was the least he could do for the privilege of being with her. The real fault lay with his friend, anyway.

Nadir was the only person in their lives who currently knew they were expecting. When Christine surprised Erik with the news, he had been shaken, more than he cared to admit, although he knew she sensed it. Unable to bear the hurt he was causing Christine with his panic, he had confided in his oldest, and with the exception of Christine, probably only friend. Nadir and he had had several long talks, and although Erik still had concerns, and no doubt would for a while, his friend had helped him start to make peace with the idea of becoming a father.

Several weeks ago, Nadir had sent him a text. It was a picture of two t-shirts that Erik gathered were meant to be worn by a man and woman to announce a pregnancy, with the words “You and Christine should get these” followed by a laughing emoji. Erik naturally refused to use emojis himself on principle, but Christine used them liberally, and he had gotten quite good at decoding them. This one was easy to interpret, although he failed to see the humor. In the past he most likely would have ignored such an inane text from his friend, but his growing acceptance of his impending fatherhood seemed to be making him gregarious.

“Hilarious,” he sent back, hoping Nadir would lose interest after that, but of course the annoying man didn’t. “You really should get them, Christine would love them!” This time, the words were followed by a winking emoji. This was a little more perplexing, he had to admit. Christine generally used the little winking face when she wanted him to agree to something he wasn’t likely to want to do, usually with the promise of making it up to him later. Did that mean Nadir was serious about these dreadful shirts, after all? As much as Erik was loath to admit it, the man _had_ given him sound advice in regard to this pregnancy up until this point. Instead of responding further to the irritating, if somewhat helpful man, Erik instead had started searching on his phone for the ridiculous items, determined to purchase them to please Christine.

At least there was one silver lining to wearing such ridiculous attire, Erik consoled himself. While he normally despised the fact that they had to spend holidays with Christine’s ex-boyfriend, due to her best friend inexplicably falling in love with him - and much more understandably, him with her in return - Erik was just petty enough to enjoy the anticipation of the reaction de Chagny was sure to have. Even though he knew Raoul now thought of Christine as a friend only, Erik also knew the man’s vanity bore permanent scars from his having been bested by Erik for Christine’s affections, and Erik wasn’t above wanting to needle the too-handsome boy for that.

*****

Meg met them at the door, taking the pumpkin pie Christine had baked and the bottle of wine Erik had selected to contribute to the meal so they could remove their coats. When Christine had hung them in the closet, she turned to Meg, bracing herself for her friend’s reaction. 

No doubt surprised that they were wearing grey t-shirts to a nice dinner at her mother’s house, Meg stared at them blankly for a moment. Never one to have much of a filter, Meg looked at Erik’s shirt and read aloud, “I made the stuffing.” Wondering if this was some kind of Thanksgiving joke she didn’t get, she read Christine’s next. “I’m so stuffed! With a little turkey.”

Christine watched as understanding dawned on her friend’s pretty face. “Oh, Christine!” Meg exclaimed as she threw her arms around her. “I’m so happy for you! But-”

With a nearly imperceptible look, Christine drew on their many years of friendship to silence Meg before her outspoken friend could hurt Erik’s feelings with a comment about how incredibly inappropriate their shirts were to wear at a meal at which they were literally going to consume stuffing.

Thankfully, Meg’s mother chose that minute to stride into the hallway. “What is taking so long in here?” she asked in her usual brisk manner, before pausing briefly to take in their announcement. If there was one thing Christine could count on about this beloved woman who had taken her into her home when she had nowhere else to go, it was that nothing could shake Antoinette Giry, but even her normally-unreadable eyes widened a bit as she processed the shirts. That was the only reaction she had however, before folding Christine into a brief but strong hug.

While Christine and her mother were having their moment, Meg turned to Erik. She had always found him intimidating, but such a happy occasion was no time to hold back, and she congratulated him before hugging him as well. 

Erik stiffened when Meg hugged him, but this was Christine’s friend and he didn’t want to hurt her feelings, so he stood there awkwardly instead of pulling away from her, only to see her boyfriend saunter smugly into the hall behind her. Erik had to admit he had a brief moment of satisfaction at the way the handsome boy grimaced when he saw him standing there.

Obviously sensing her beau behind her, Meg pulled back from Erik and slipped a familiar arm around Raoul’s waist. “Look, darling, Christine and Erik have some wonderful news!”

Christine watched as her childhood friend took in their appearance, eyes widening a bit before he gathered her into a tender hug. “I’m so pleased for you, Lotte,” he whispered sweetly. Christine closed her eyes and squeezed him back tighter for a second, grateful beyond words that after all they had been through she still had Raoul’s friendship in her life.

Pulling back from their embrace, Raoul again slid his arm around Meg as he looked at Erik. “Congratulations,” he said curtly. “And, nice sh-”, before suddenly being cut off by his girlfriend’s elbow in his ribs.

“What?” he asked, with just the slightest hint of sullenness, but Meg ignored him. Grabbing Christine’s hand, she said “Let’s help mother finish up in the kitchen, Christine.” Turning to Erik, she added, “Nadir’s in the living room, Erik. Why don’t you join him there? Raoul, will you get Erik some wine?”

Although he looked like he was going to refuse her request for a moment, Raoul nodded and followed them to the kitchen. His former rival put in his place for the time being, Erik strolled into the living room, repressing a sigh as he found Nadir engrossed in a football game, beer in hand as he sat in a recliner.

“Hello, Nadir,” Erik greeted him dryly, slightly vexed when the man couldn’t even be bothered to look up from the contest he was watching. Rolling his eyes to himself, he sat on the couch. There was simply no accounting for taste when it came to this man, Erik mused. How on earth had he ever made friends with someone who enjoyed such a barbaric pastime?

Just as Erik was about to comment on his friend’s lack of culture, Raoul entered the room and rudely thrust a wine glass at him. He arched an eyebrow as the insolent boy took a seat, his own wine glass in hand. Erik tried to be the bigger person, truly he did, but the wretched boy made it so _difficult_ sometimes.

“Something on your mind?” he asked innocently, and was rewarded with seeing Raoul instantly bristle. Ah, he was simply too easy to rile, Erik thought with satisfaction.

“Absolutely nothing.”

“Indeed? I thought as much, but it’s always nice to be validated.” Really, irritating the boy was no challenge at all.

Raoul had turned an unflattering shade of red, Erik noted with satisfaction. Just as he was about to return his attention to Nadir, the boy spoke again. “By the way, nice shirt, jackass.”

Erik slowly allowed his gaze to return to the boy. Why was he cursed? Why did every person in his life have to be so irritating? Except for Christine, of course.

He stared at Raoul until he flinched slightly, but still he refused to break Erik’s gaze. After a moment in which he determined the boy wouldn’t back down and look away, Erik answered his insult. “ _This shirt_ is to please Christine. Obviously if you knew more about how to do that, maybe you would still be with her.” By now fully done with the conversation, Erik turned away once again, but Raoul refused to take the hint.

“First of all, I love Meg, and I’m certainly not pining for Christine anymore. And let me tell you, you must not know Christine as well as you think you do, if you think she would ever like those hideous shirts.”

Feeling his temper start to rise, Erik retorted, “As if I need advice from you, Raoul.” There must have been enough menace in his tone to get his friend’s attention, because Nadir finally took his gaze off the contest in front of him to look over at them.

“Would you two stop squabbling? I’m trying to watch the game.” As he finished the sentence, his eyes landed on Erik’s shirt and paused for a moment.

“Jesus, Erik, what the hell are you wearing?”

Ignoring the smug “I told you it was stupid” that came from his left side, Erik looked at Nadir in annoyance. “What do you mean 'what am I wearing'? This was your idea.”

Nadir closed his eyes for a long moment. If Erik didn’t know better, he would think the man was praying for patience from the look on his face. He opened them and asked Erik, “Am I safe in assuming Christine is wearing the matching shirt?” When Erik nodded stiffly, he closed his eyes again. “Erik, that was meant as a joke. I am more convinced than ever that Christine truly loves you. That is the only explanation as to why she would agree to wear such a thing.”

*****

Christine looked up to see Erik standing in the doorway to the kitchen, a stricken look in his eyes. Instantly knowing he needed her, she excused herself to the Girys and went over to him.

Taking his hand, she asked “Is everything okay, love?”

In answer, he gently tugged on her hand and led her back into the relative privacy of the hallway before bringing up what was on his mind.

“Christine, do you not like the shirts?” As she opened her mouth to reply, he added, “And be honest.”

Unable to lie to him, she looked at Erik in silence for several moments before admitting, “Well, no, Erik, they’re...not really my usual style, I guess.”

Unable to read his reaction, especially since he was wearing his mask, she started to panic that she had hurt him. “But, I love that _you_ wanted to do something special. I was just so happy that you were getting more excited about the baby that I didn’t want to hurt your feelings. Please, tell me you're not mad that I wasn’t more honest with you. You know you’re very important to me, Erik, and I will gladly wear these shirts with you if you like them.”

Finally he spoke. “Christine, does this shirt seem like anything I would normally want to wear?”

“Not really, but why did you buy them then?”

“Because Nadir told me you would like them! Well, I thought he did, but it turns out he was joking.”

Christine couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her at Erik’s words. Her husband may have been a genius, but social skills were definitely not his strong suit. Her laughter died quickly, though, when Erik straightened even more as a defensive look came into his eyes.

“I’m glad you find this funny, Christine, because I don’t. I managed to ruin your Thanksgiving with these ridiculous shirts.”

“What? Erik, no, you didn’t ruin anything. This day is exactly what I would want Thanksgiving to be.” At her words, she saw him relax a little, and she reached out to take his hands in hers. “But you have to admit, it is a little funny, that we were each wearing the shirts only to make the other person happy.”

Erik squeezed her hands as a slight smile curved his thin lips. “I suppose it is somewhat humorous.”

Glad that his mood hadn’t darkened too much, Christine reached her arms around his neck and pulled Erik down for a kiss, loving the familiar feeling of his long arms wrapping around her. When they pulled apart after embracing for what might have been a little longer than was wise at a holiday gathering, Erik kept his arms around her for a few moments longer. “I love you, Christine.”

“I love you, too, Erik.” Stepping out of his embrace, Christine took hold of his hand again and turned toward the dining room. “I think it’s time to eat.”

When Erik hesitated, she looked back at him. “I truly am sorry about the shirts, Christine. I wish we had some other clothes to change into.”

Christine gave him a warm smile. “It’s really okay, Erik. Besides, we’re with all of our closest friends today. They don’t really care what we wear, anyway.”

As Erik slid an arm around her shoulders and they started to move to the dining room to join the others, he muttered something she didn’t fully hear. “What was that, love?”

Erik pressed a quick kiss to her brown curls. “I said, ‘All of our closest friends - and Raoul.’”

**Author's Note:**

> Well, when inspiration strikes, sometimes you just have to go with it :)
> 
> Thanks for reading, and feel free to leave a comment!!


End file.
